Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a surgery to treat severe coronary artery disease. We take a healthy artery that your body can spare and attach it to the blocked coronary artery. The graft bypasses the blockage, allowing blood to flow to your heart again. Geisinger specializes in this surgery.

Your doctor may recommend CABG if other treatments such as angioplasty have not helped relieve blocked arteries enough. You may also have blockages that cannot be treated with angioplasty.

What you should know about a coronary artery bypass graft:

Your surgeon may stop your heart during the surgery and use a heart-lung bypass, a machine that keeps blood and oxygen flowing. We can also perform “off-pump” CABG, in which your heart continues to beat.

Recovery time after CABG surgery varies from person to person, but you can expect to stay in the hospital about a week, with full recovery taking up to six weeks.

Why choose Geisinger for your coronary artery bypass graft?

Birthplace of ProvenCare®: Coronary artery bypass graft was the first surgery in which Geisinger surgeons used ProvenCare®. This innovative program standardizes and guarantees quality care. We set the standard for how CABG should be performed.

Excellent outcomes: Our depth of experience pioneering ProvenCare® for coronary artery bypass grafting has led to some of the best surgical outcomes in the country. We have very low hospital readmission rates after CABG, as well as low complication rates during surgery.

Individualized approach to care: There is no routine approach to treating coronary artery disease. Our cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists collaborate to determine the right level of intervention, whether than means medical management, angioplasty or CABG.